The First Draft Club

By Mary Adkins | Author & Book Writing Coach
  • 5.0 (107)
  • BOOKS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

A podcast to help you overcome resistance and write with more joy, clarity, and confidence. If you’re working on a novel or memoir, stick around. Whether you haven‘t written a word since your 5-paragraph essay days or you have an MFA in Creative Writing, this weekly podcast is now your favorite writing companion on your journey to finish your first draft.

  1. MAR 12

    Special Mid-Season Announcement - Mary's Memoir and a New Press!

    BIG NEWS! ---------- Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thirdrailpress/third-rail-press-for-the-untold-stories-of-womens-livesThird Rail Press: https://www.thirdrailpress.org/

    11 min

  2. FEB 12

    S08 E10 How Much Can You Make in Foreign Rights - My Story (with Actual Dollar Amounts!)

    How much can you actually make from your book? Should you consider foreign rights or just stick to the US? What can you expect to make after your advance? In the season finale, Mary gets personal and answers your questions.  ---- Watch on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins

    18 min

  3. FEB 5

    S08 E09 Special Guests! Welcome, the Podcast is a Gameshow Now

    Mary invited two fellow novelists and colleagues in The Book Incubator, Harrison and Autumn, to join her for a game she made up! Meet The Feedback Game: What would you do with X feedback? Revise? Move on? Freak out? ---- Watch on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins

    1h 3m

  4. JAN 29

    S08 E08 Is Revision Sucking? Two Strategies to Make It Joyful Again

    In this episode, Mary breaks down her two best tips for making the revision process as fun as the writing process.  ---- Watch on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins

    15 min

  5. JAN 22

    S08 E07 Killing Your Non-Darlings in Revision

    Have you wondered why you have trouble making revisions even when you know it's necessary? Mary explores this phenomenon and shares her own struggles with loss aversion. --- S08 E03 How to Fix an 80% Good Book Getting Rejections: https://www.podbean.com/eas/pb-xqce2-1750a3c ---- Watch on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins

    13 min

  6. JAN 15

    S08 E06 How to Write a Timeless Book (Whatever That Means)

    In the first episode of 2025, Mary reveals that the best way to write a timeless book is to not try to make it timeless.  ---- Watch on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins

    19 min

  7. 12/18/2024

    S08 E05 All the Numbers in Publishing No One Talks About

    What are the actual sales numbers for authors who get book deals versus authors who self-publish? Mary gets into the data—yep, hardcore math—to help you weigh the pros and cons (financially) of the two major publishing paths.  -Free training on how much you can make on your book: https://www.thebookincubator.com/free-training-Blog post summary: https://maryadkinswriter.com/blog/how-much-do-authors-make ---- Watch on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins

    26 min

  8. 12/11/2024

    S08 E04 My Top 5 Books of 2024 as a Writer

    Mary shares the novels and memoirs that came out in 2024 that left her with the memorable reading experiences from a craft and writing perspective—ones that taught her something about writing or showed her something new about what literature can do. The books are (in no particular order): - The Wedding People by Alison Espach - Molly by Blake Butler - Old Enough by Haley Jakobson - Grief is for People by Sloane Crosley - Madwoman by Chelsea Bieker She wants you to know that Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe (a Kirkus Prize finalist this year) was recused because Rufi teaches with Mary in The Book Incubator, but it's an incredibly instructional novel from a craft perspective (and just a fantastic book). ---- Watch on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins

    28 min
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About

A podcast to help you overcome resistance and write with more joy, clarity, and confidence. If you’re working on a novel or memoir, stick around. Whether you haven‘t written a word since your 5-paragraph essay days or you have an MFA in Creative Writing, this weekly podcast is now your favorite writing companion on your journey to finish your first draft.

Information

  • Creator
    By Mary Adkins | Author & Book Writing Coach
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    129
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2020 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The First Draft Club

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